Wagon end-gate



(No Model.)

vW. BEOKWITH.

WAGON END GATE.

N0. 286,675. Patented Oct. 16, 1883.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEO WVARBELT BECKYVITH, OF GENEVA LAKE, WVISOONSIN- WAGON EN D-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,675, dated October 16, 1883.

' Application flled April 12,1888. (no model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WARREN BECKWITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Geneva- Lake, in the county of "Walworth and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in End-Gates, of which the following is a specification, to wit:

This invention relates .to end-gates for vehicles and it consists in the peculiar construction of the same, whereby it will be held firmly in posit-ion, and hold the sides of the wagon from spreading, and at the same time may bereadily removed, substantially as'will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others'skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an end view, and Fig. 2 a plan view of a wagon-body having my end-gate attached.

A represen'tsawagon bed orbody, upon the inner sides of which near the rear end are arranged thecleats or strips on a, between which the end-gate B is held. The strips a a are formed with a groove, 5, upon their outer sides, the purpose of which will be presently understood.

The strips to a are secured to the sides of the wagon-body by hinges b, as shown, and may be turned backward so as not to. project within the body, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and these strips are also provided with suitable'handles, If, by which they may be moved. 4

The endgate B is provided with one or more strips of metal along its edges upon the inner side, which are bent at right angles to form a tongue, e, adapted to enter and slide in the grooves 12 b of the cleats a a, and thus prevent the sides from spreading. The outer side of the gate is also provided with two pivoted arms, B B, adapted to be turned down a ainst the hinged cleats a and prevent their being moved; 1

It will thus be seen that when in position the gate is held firmly, and v by its metal tongues e prevents the body from spreading, but may easily be removed, no matter what the pressure of the load may be, by throwing up the arms B, and pulling out the hinged cleats c, thus leaving thegate free to be removed without requiring force to remove it.

I am aware itiis not new to provide anendgate with hinged and grooved cleats; and I do not claim the same, broadly; but

\Vhat I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the wagoirbody A, having cleats a (0, provided with grooves b b, and cleats a a hinged to the sides of the wagonbody, and provided with handles 5 b the gate B provided with metal edge strips having right-angled tongues engaging with grooves 6 b b, and the locking-arms B B adapted to impinge against and lock the cleats a a in a closed position, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 7 presence of two witnesses.

V WARREN BEOKWITH.

Witnesses:

Gnnnnns H. HAMMERSLEY, CHARLES S. Fannorr. 

